Wire rope construction



March 10, 1942. v, JACQBSON 2,276,042

WIRE ROPE CONSTRUCTION.

Filed Aug. 26, 1940 myzawr-aa,

Patented Mar. 10, 1942' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

WIRE ROPE CONSTRUCTION Ernest V. Jacobson, Ironwood, Mich. Application August .26, 1940, Serial No. 354,304 1 Claim. (Cl. 57-146) My invention relates to new and useful improvements in wire ropes or cables.

An important object of my invention is to provide a wire rope or cable wherein the hemp core has a plurality of Wire strands wound helically therearound and wherein the core is surrounded by a suitable water resistant, formative substance,

. which substance entirely fills the interstices be tween the strands of wire andthe core to prevent moisture from having access thereto.

Another object 'of my invention is to provide a wire rope which may be safely used under watenthe characteristics of the rope being such cation, and wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a transverse sectional view illustrating a wire rope construction embodying my invention, and

Figure 2. is a transverse sectional view illus-. trating a conventional wire rope or cable construction.

In-the accompanying drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration, is shown a preferred embodimentof my invention, the numeral l0, designates a central core comprising three helically wound strands H,- i2 and I3, which core may be made of any material commonly used in wire cable construction. Hemp is perhaps the most commonly used, however, any fibrous substance such as cotton, flax, jute, etc., may be used. The fibrous core serves primarily as a cushion for the plurality of outer wire strands and insures a.

pliant and resilient cable. 1

Each of the outer strands comprises a plurality of elongated metallic threads or wires twisted together to form a relatively heavy strand and a plurality of the strands, each being of identical construction, are wound helically about the central core. The above construction is conventional and conforms to the standard mode, of wire rope manufacture.

When a rope conforming to the above specifications is used under conditions where it will be subject to moisture or where a portion thereof is to be disposed entirely belowthe surface of a body of water, the rope is'adversely affected and its life is therefore materially shortened. Figure 2' best illustrates the above-mentioned conventional wire rope construction and an inspection of this figure will develop the fact that there are a plurality of generally triangular shaped interstices l5 between adjacent outer strands and i the central core. Each of the strands enclosing the central core isgenerally circular in crosssection and intertwining of the strands about the central core must necessarily effect the presence of the interstices. After the cable has been used "for a sufficient period of time for the outer strands to be' pressed into the outer periphery of the core, the essentially yieldable nature of the core will cause the same to partially fill the interstices; however, the concave sides of the interstices and the essentially sharp angle between these sides prevents the core from entirely filling the same. Water may readily have access to these interstices and when the rope is stretched the outer strands move toward and press into the central core. Under the above conditions the outer strands are also generally pressed against each other and the moisture which had filtered into the interstices is permanently trapped therein. This'water, being unable to escape from the interstices remains therein for long intervals of time and both rots the fibrous core and corrodes the metallic outer strands.

If the core and strands are lubricated with a heavy compound, such compound will further seal the water within the interstices and, as the lubricant dries out of the core, the core will absorb the trapped water. The lubricant may delay the rotting and corrosive action of the water for a slight interval, however, the ultimate result is the same and a satisfactory solution 'to the problem has not been reached. Thus the, rope may appear to be entirely sound from the outside when it has, in fact, been materia weakened by the rotting of the central core and the corrodingof the inner surface of each of the outer strands. The deceptive appearance of the rope creates a conditionwhich is at once dangerous and annoying. I

' I have found that, if a suitably pliant and in-.

herently formative substance l6 such as live rubber, or the like, is interfused between the outer strands and the core to entirely fill the interstices l5, the rope will retain the necessary pliability and strength but that water and other destructive fluids will be prevented from impreg- 55 nating the centrol core portion thereof. While I have found that live rubberis entirely satisiactory tor the purpose hereinabove described,

it is to be understood that any substance of sub stantially the same nature and possessing substantially the same characteristics may be used. The filler l6 may be coated around the core and when the strands are wrapped thereabout the inherently formative nature of the tiller will cause the same to entirely fill the interstices to efficiently and efllcaciously prevent water from having access to the core.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention, herewith shown and described, is to be taken as .a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention, or

scope of the appended claim.

outer strands and the central core whereby the rope will be inherently flexible and whereby the rubber is sufllciently formative to permit the outer strands to move toward the central core when a load is applied to the rape, the said rubber entering the interstices between the core and wire strands so that no water may be trapped therein'by closing of the strands about the said core.

ERNEST v. JACQBSON. 

